Splice bar or fish plate



June 23, 1931. s wlLBUR SPLICE BAR 0R FISH PLATE Filed April 20. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 23, 1931. 1.. s. WILBUR SPLICE BAR OR FISH PLATE Filed April 20, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 35 of the bar,

Patented June 23, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcs ,LAWRENOE S. WILBU'R, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR- TO NATIONAL RAIL JOINT CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS SPLICE BAR R FISH PLATE Application filed April 20,

1 faster and to a greater extent at the middle of the bar than at the ends thereof. Also, the rail ends tend to become distorted faster and to a greater extent than those portions of the rails adjacent the ends of the splice bars. In

thisway, the splice bars or fish plates are re 'duced in height at the middle of the bar, to a greater extent than at the ends thereof, and, ,in addition, the fishing height on the sides of the rails becomes greater at the ends of the rails than at the ends of the splice bars.

Generally stated, therefore, the object of the invention is to provide a splice bar or fish plate having improved means for causing the bar, especially an old bar, when the latter is .25 reformed or reshaped, to assume the desired or necessary shape and size in cross section, more'particularly at the middle of the bar, as by providing a shim or insert between the bottom of the bar and the top of the rail flange, thus adapting the bar for further use on either old or new rails.

Another object is to provide, in addition to said shim or insert at the bottom of the bar, a somewhat similar section of metal for the top whereby both the top and bottom of the bar will be reinforced if desired.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved construction whereby the inner side of the bar is provided with a section of metal forming a longitudinal reinforce therefor, either in a new or old bar, but preferably in an old bar which'has been reformed or reshaped, and in which said reinforce serves to provide the vertical web of the bar with the requisite or desired thickness.

Another object is to provide improved means for securing the said top reinforce, or the said bottom rein force, or the said inside reinforce, or all of them, permanently in place on the bar, by incorporating reinforc- 'bars whereby the bars are clamped in the fishing the tread 6 of the rails.

1929. Serial N0. 356,814.

ing elements in the structure of the bar when the latter is reformed or reshaped.

Another object is to provide an improved method and improved means for renewing the holes in the bar, by inserting bushings in the bar from the inside thereof, preferably during the process or method of reforming and reshaping the bar.

It is also an object to provide certain details and features of construction and combinations tending to increase the general efficiency and the desirability of a splice bar or fish plate of this particular character.

To these and other useful ends, the inventlon consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and claimed, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,.-

ig. l is a side elevation of a rail joint embodying the principles of the invention.

ig. 2 is an enlarged vertical transverse section on line 2-2 in Fig. l.

ig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a different form of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the splice bar shown in Fig. 1, and in Fig. 2, or as shown in Fig. 3, of the drawings.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, showing the splice bar curved or bowed inwardly at its middle, when viewed from above, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 of the drawings, the rail joint comprises a pair of splice or fish plates 1 connected by bolts 2,

space at each side of the rails 8, which latter, as shown, can be new rails, or rails not badly worn or deformed by the pounding of the 'car wheels. The inside of each splice bar is provided with a metal reinforce or longi- 'tudinal strip 4 having its upper edge turned over to provide a shim or insert 5 between the'top of the bar and the under side of The lower edge portion of the strip or reinforce 4t is bent outwardly to form a shim or insert 7 which is inserted between the flange 8 of the splice bar and the bottom flange 9 of the rails. In addition, the inside reinforcing section 4 has a plurality of integral bushings 10, which are inserted outwardly in the bar, as shown in the drawings. These bent reinforcing plates canbe incorporated in the bar when the latter is reformed'or reshaped, by using an old and worn or distorted bar. As shown, the bent reinforcing plate of each bar does not extend the full length of the bar, but onlyextends longitudinally to the points 11,

7 although it will be understood that the reinforcing channel strip can extend any suit able or desired distance on the bar. Furthermore, new bars of thislnnd can be made,

although it is preferableto produce them from old bars.

7 As shown in Fig. '3, the construction is similar to-that previously described, but in this case the upper portion 12 of the channelshaped reinforcing plate is humped or crowned at its top, as shown, thereby fitting the sides of rails which have been worn and distorted, by use, the splice bar being thus higher at its middle than at its ends. A

splice bar of this kind can be used on old rails to advantage, but might be used on new rails by pulling the ends of the bar inwardly,

. by'tightening the bolts until the splice bar.

is in proper engagement with the rails throughout the length thereof and at both top andbottom .thereof. V

In Fig. 5, the splice bar 13 is shown curved or bowed inwardly at its middle, when the bar isviewed from above, and with this construction or formation the end portions of the bar will be" drawn inwardly by the tightening of the bolts, thus placing the bar .under tension and causing its middle portion to constantly tend to spring inwardly, thereby automaticallytaking up wear.

- The provision of the bushings,jit will be seen, serves to provide an old and reformed bar with newholes, soto speak, as separate. 'me'tal sections are not only added to bring the bar up to the desired height, .at'its middle portion, but, in addition, separate portions of metal are added to renew or reform the holes in the bar. Also, and by the formation and V insertion of the bushings as shown, or in any suitable manner, the channel plates: are permanently secured in place on'the inner sides of the splice bars, with the top and bottomflang'es of the channel plate forming the top andbottom of the middle portion of thesplice bar. The entire channel plate can be welded to thesplic'ebar, in any suitable or v desired manner, so that in effect the channel plate, throughout itsinner surface, willbecome integralwith the splice bar.

7 It will be understood, of course, that these channel plates for splice bars can be of any suitable or desired metal and can be made of steel which is much harder or moredurable thanthe metal ordinarily employed for splice bars of this kind. 7 r

With the foregoing method, it will that old and worn bars can be reformed or reshaped without any reduction in thethickrail jointbolts.

ness thereof-that isto say, without reducing the thickness of the vertical web of the bar,

inasmuch as the bushings and other metal parts are added, taking the place of the metal which has been worn away.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A rail joint comprising a splice bar havinga section of metal forming a longitudinal reinforce on the inner side thereof, conforming thereto and solidly united therewith,- forming a fixed part of the bar itself.

2. A rail joint comprising a splice bar having a section of metal forming a longitudinal reinforce on the bottom thereof, conforming thereto and solidly united therewith, forming a fixed part of the-bar itself.

3. A rail joint comprising a splicebar having a sectionof metal forming a longitudinal V reinforce on the inner side thereof, conforming thereto and solidly united therewith,-

forming a fixed part of the bar itself and having a section of metal forming a longitudinal reinforce on the bottom thereof.

4. A rail joint comprising a splice bar having a section of metal forming a longitudinal reinforce on the inner side thereof, conforming thereto and solidly united therewith,

having a section of metal forming a longitudinal reinforce on the bottom thereof, together with a section of metal fomnin g a longitudinal reinforce for the top of the splice ar. 4

V 5. A rail jointhaving a splice bar provided at its bottom with a sectionof metal forming a reinforce between the bottom of the bar and the top of the rail flanges, and having the top of the bar provided with a section of metal forming a longitudinal reinforce orinsert between the top of the 'bar and the underside of the tread of the rails. 6. A rail joint having a splice bar provided with a channel plate applied to-the inner side thereof, conforming thereto and solidly united therewith, forming .a fixed part of the bar itself, the-integral upper .flange "of said forming fixed part of the bar-itself and plate extending betweenthe top of the bar the rail flanges.

7. A structure as specified in clam-t6, said plate having integral bus'hingsextendingoutwardly in the bar to provide bolt holes for the rail joint bolts. 7 7

8. A railj oint having a splice bar provided with bushings inserted outwardly from the inside thereof, forming bolt holes for the rail joint bolts. V r r is 9. A splice bar produced by-reforming or reshaping an old and worn splice bit-I501 fish plate, comprising the insertion of bushings through. the bar from the; inside thereof, thereby forming bolt holes therein for the 10. A rail joint comprising a splice bar having a section of metal forming a longitudinal reinforce on the inner side thereof, conforming thereto and solidly united there- -'vvith, forming a fixed part of the bar itself, said reinforce having an upper flange extending outwardly between the underside of the tread of the rail and the upper edge of the splice bar.

11. An angle bar fish plate having an inside reinforcing strip of metal harder than the body of the bar itself, conforming thereto and solidly united therewith, forming a fixed part of the fish plate itself.

12. An angle bar fish plate having a bottom reinforcing strip of metal harder than the body of the bar itself, conforming thereto and solidly united therewith, forming a fixed part of the fish plate itself.

Specification signed this 9th day of April,

LAWRENCE S. VVILBUR. 

